As West Ham fans gave a rousing rendition of "One Alan Pardew" in the final 10 minutes, they were not just sending a message of support to their manager but outlining their feelings to the board and prospective new owners. It is too early on the back of one win to talk of Pardew's future being secure or his team's season being up and running but yesterday's nervy and narrowly deserved win has at least given West Ham a platform from which to try to rebuild form and confidence.

In ending a run of eight straight defeats and lifting West Ham out of the relegation places, it also made Pardew's position look less precarious. Not that the supporters blamed him for the dismal sequence. Only 44 seconds had elapsed when his name was sung loudly. "I'm not the most emotional of people but I was a little bit choked at the start with the way they backed me," Pardew said. "It was a nice moment. Most managers are pretty hardened but it moved me slightly."

The more the team pick up and the fans back Pardew, the harder it will be for any new owners to make a change of manager, and that is a live issue with the consortium led by Kia Joorabchian expected to make a formal offer this week. As Pardew acknowledged, this was merely the start. "We have still got considerable amount of battling to do to get up the league," he said. The next three games are Arsenal at home and Middlesbrough and Chelsea away.

Belief ought to be up for such tasks after an afternoon on which the most overrriding sensations for West Ham were nervousness and relief. They had to endure an edgy finale before maximum points were confirmed. Had Francis Jeffers directed a header on target deep in stoppage-time, the most belief-sapping of draws could have been the outcome. West Ham had been 2-0 up and it was also in added-on time that Blackburn scored.

Anxiety was a feature of West Ham's display for long periods, especially in the second half. The home team's dominance before the interval brought a goal for Teddy Sheringham but that superiority evaporated in the face of an improved Blackburn performance. West Ham had been on the back foot before Hayden Mullins made it 2-0. Only a save by Robert Green retained West Ham's slender advantage before that. There is no question West Ham can play better than this, and will have to. But victory was the most precious commodity and climbing out of the bottom three ought to ease the tension and help the team to produce the sort of quick, exuberant play of last season.

Lifted by Sheringham's goal, there were glimpses of that towards the end of the first half. The 40-year-old was usually involved in the team's smoothest and most creative moments and the central midfield axis of Nigel Reo-Coker and Mullins, which served the team last season, justified its use again, with Javier Mascherano consigned to the bench. The team's other Argentinian, Carlos Tevez, was absent because of injury.

In the first half Reo-Coker made runs forward off the ball that might have brought greater joy, and Mullins battled well and generally used the ball sensibly. Pardew needs to hope the team feels more comfortable now. The passing can be crisper, the crossing better and team dropped deep as Blackburn pushed forward in the second half, yet as Pardew said: "No one hid. This is not a place for hiding. You have to stand tall and be counted and I'm very proud of them."

West Ham made a tamer start than Pardew would have wanted, but gradually began to get into promising positions and Sheringham's goal did not come against the run of play. A long kick by Green was flicked on, picked up by Zamora and the striker's pass enabled Benayoun to cross. Sheringham's run enabled him to lose his marker and head past Brad Friedel.

West Ham started to play increasingly freely but the flow changed after the interval. Blackburn had not seriously tested Green but started to pass and move far better. Tugay began to dicate more and they found more space down the flanks. With better crosses or set pieces they might have posed greater danger.

McCarthy had a goal ruled out before Lucas Neill drew a save from Green, on the back of which Zamora ought to have extended West Ham's lead on the break. It seemed game over when an Etherington corner was flicked on and Mullins scored from close range but Blackburn responded. David Bentley finished after Green had saved from McCarthy and then came the close shave from Jeffers before Pardew could breath easily.